Half- to john upton



. u I v" A.A.ST ETSO N GAR COUPLING (No Model.)

- mmtllllm UNITED STATES ANDREWV ALLEN STETSON, OF FLORIDA, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF-TO JOHN UPTON, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,329, dated November 18, 1884.

Application filed September 27, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW A. SrETsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Florida. in the county of Monroe and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Oouplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the Same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,

' and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved car-coupling. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a plan or top view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to so-called auto matic car-coup1lngs or self-couplers, and it consists in certain improvements upon the carcoupling for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 282,397 were granted to me on the 31st day of July, l883,which said improvements will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Adenotes the draw-bars, which are cutaway 0r tapered at their ends, so as to provide an inclined plane, a, in the rear of which is formeda well or depression, I), having vertical front and rear walls. Each of these draw-heads is composed, preferably, of a single bar of metal, rectangular in cross-section, and of great-er height than width.

D is a rectangular link, hinged at O C to the front part of the car, so that it will rest with its free end in the well or recess b at the outer end of the draw-bar, and has a free up-and-down motion upon its hinges C. These hinges are so arranged that the link will project farther on one side of the draw-head than on the other, as will be seen more clearly by reference to Fig. 3, in which I have shown two of the couplings in their coupled position. Upon one side of the draw-head, so as to partially close the recess 1) sidewisc, is placed an eccentric cam, E, which has its fulcrum upon a projecting bolt or stud, e, and rests with its free end by its own gravity upon a stud or projection, f. To the pivoted end, of cam E is fastened the upwardly-projecting handle or lever F, so that by drawing (No model.)

or pulling the upper end of said lever in the direction of the front end of the car the cam E will be lifted or tilted upon its fulcrum, so as to throw both links simultaneously out of their recess 1), and thus disconnect the couplings.

Inorder to prevent the links from jumping up too far when the cars come together I employ a movable and adjustable stop, S, which is fastened upon the top of the draw-head back of its recess b. By swinging this stop out of the way as indicated in dotted lines the link may be thrown up against the front side of the car, and thus be entirely out of the way, while by turning it so as to project over the link it will limit or control the upward throw of the latter when the cars come together. Affixed to the under side of the draw-head are stirrups or hangers H, in which slides the buffer or bumper G, the inner end of which bears against a stout spring, I. This sliding buffer is adjustable and removable, as it may be dispensed with in some cases where the cars are already provided. with suitably constructed buffers.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of this device will be readily understood without requiring further explanation. The cars may be uncoupled in a moment of time by throwing back the lever F, which throws both the links simultaneously out of the coup ling-recesses B, thereby instantly disconnecting the cars.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- ANDREW ALLEN STETSON.

Vitnesses:

STEPHEN Rouse, J. F. Aoonn. 

